October 18, 2009

Three Runners Die During Detroit Marathon: Within a span of 16 minutes, three runners died running the 13.1 mile half-marathon during the Detroit Marathon Sunday. Daniel Langdon, 36 and Rick Brown, 65, collapsed between miles 11 and 12, while Jon Fenlon, 26, collapsed after finishing the half-marathon. They were the first fatalities at the event since 1994. Running studies have shown that one of every 50,000 to 88,000 marathon finishers die, the Detroit News reports.

Sounds like all of them were heart attacks. Runner's World did a magazine feature along the lines of "are marathons safe?" a few months ago. Their conclusion: if you want to live to the end of the day: don't run. If you want to live a long, healthy life: run.

In other words, there is more immediate danger while running compared to sitting on your couch, but over time and statistics, runners live longer and with less disease.

I used to run, but my knees are shot now. I thought running was healthy, but walking or biking is less jarring. I have a feeling that many runners are going to need knee replacement surgery in time, so it may be good for your heart, but it is bad for you in the long run (no pun intended).

Many runners (not saying you, Shotput) have terrible technique, landing on their heels, sending big shocks up through their joints. Combine that with poor and inconsistent training habits, poor rehabilitation of minor injuries and high body weight and I'm not surprised that so many people think "it will ruin your knees."

Look up Chi Running, The Pose, and forefoot/midfoot striking. Try training on dirt, grass, gravel roads instead of sidewalks and pavement, consistently running for a year at a mix of speeds and intensities, and buying new shoes at least every six months. There is nothing better for building up strong bones, tendons and muscles in your legs and feet.